Yesterday we flew to Almaty, Kazakhstan. This is the fourth “stan” country that we have visited. Almaty is the largest city of Central Asia’s richest country, Kazakhstan. The name Almaty means “the place with Apples”, and it is believed that this is where apples originated from. We will spend the day touring the city.
We drove past the financial district called Nurly Tau Financial Center.
At the first stop on our morning tour, we went to the Almaty Central Mosque. Designed to accommodate 7,000 worshippers, it is one of the largest mosques in Kazakhstan.
The Museum of Musical Instruments has an amazing collection of historical Central Asian instruments.
The kobyz has two strings made of horsehair. The resonating cavity is usually covered with goat leather. Traditionally kobyzes were sacred instruments, owned by shamans and baksıs (traditional spiritual medics). According to legends, the kobyz and its music could banish evil spirits, sickness and death.
The Military History Museum of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan has an impressive entrance. Time did not allow us to go inside.
Nearby 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park has unusual, impressive statues. The park honors 28 soldiers from an infantry unit of the Red Army who reportedly died during World War II in the Battle of Moscow. They are remembered for repulsing 50 German tanks on the outskirts of Moscow during Operation Barbarossa.
We were told that Zenkov Cathedral is the most famous sight in Almaty. One of the world’s tallest wooden buildings and built without a single nail, below is what it looks like today.
Elle sampled treats from the Green Bazaar.
We ate at an amazing Russian restaurant with our guide, Olya.
Here is my meal.
First President Park was named in honour of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first President of Kazakhstan.
At the park we enjoyed watching a couple pose for wedding photos.
The Almaty River runs through the city. This section looks like a spillway.
We ascended to the top of Köktöbe (blue) hill by cable car.
At the top of the hill we saw stores, restaurants, and an amusement park.
I tried to see the mountains, but they were obscured by clouds. Maybe the clouds will dissipate, and I’ll get a better view tomorrow.
Leave a Reply